Set time, money limits on political campaigns

Now the Supreme Court has opened the flood gates for corporations to legally buy politicians. Since when has it become necessary to equate free speech with money?

There is a way to stop the buying of politicians:

1. Restrict campaigning to the 90 days prior to the election. If they can’t say it in 90 days it isn’t worth saying.

2. Put a cap on the amount of money spent on a political campaign. Campaign financing would come from a “campaign pot.” Anyone, including corporations, would be able to contribute to the “pot.” Each candidate would be given the same amount of money for their campaign. No other monies or gratuities permitted, not even personal finances. Very strict accounting would be required to prohibit overspending.

3. There is a lot more to this, including other political levels, but it is not possible to go into all the details in limited space.

Of course these things will never happen because it would be necessary for the politicians to pass the laws that to make the changes, but we can dream, can’t we?

I am reminded of what my late father told me: “Columbus was the world’s first politician. When he left he didn’t know where he was going; when he got there he didn’t know where he was, and when he got back he didn’t know where he had been — and it was all on borrowed money.”

LARRY SMITH

Sandpoint